Batteries - RV-Dreams Community Forum

KimandBob · RV-Dreams Community Member

Batteries

TRAILERKING · RV-Dreams Family Member

Put a small Battery Tender on it through the sitting time.

KimandBob · RV-Dreams Community Member

Thank you for the reply...:)

TRAILERKING · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bob these are about the best out there. Kill everything at the Master Switch and keep this on all winter. It will maintain the batteries all winter or when not using for long periods.

http://smartercharger.com/

These are good too. I use them on my Harley Motorcycles through winter.

http://www.batterytender.com/

Sushidog · RV-Dreams Family Member

According to this link, a lead-acid battery has a self-discharge rate of 5% a month at room temp.

"To reduce the rate of battery self discharge during storage then store the battery at lower temperatures to reduce the rate of self-discharge and preserves the initial energy stored in the battery."

www.batteryeducation.com/2012/10/battery-self-discharge-rates.html

So for 4 months you should be fine as long as the water doesn't evaporate to a level where the plates are exposed, (causing sulfation) if it is a flooded lead acid battery. If using a trickle charger, I recommend a smart charger like a battery tender, as constant rate chargers will increase the rate of water loss.

Regardless if the plates are covered or not some sulfation will occur over time. A Battery Minder trickle charger works great to remove this. www.batteryminders.com/avoid-battery-sulfation/

Chip

Clay L · RV-Dreams Family Member

Have used the Battery Minder shown above for 12 years in a motor home on the engine battery when parked and for 8 years at our CO commercial peach orchard for farm equipment not used all winter. Worked great.

jaynjazz · RV-Dreams Family Member

I used the cut off switch and hooked up one of these to both my coach and cab battery. I first made sure that the batteries were both fully charged before setting her for storage. Connected the chargers and mounted the panels on wood planks. They have maintained the batteries all winter so far. I have only checked them a couple times and they have been fine.

www.harborfreight.com/15-watt-solar-battery-charger-68692.html

Good Luck

J&J

www.jaynjazz.com

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

Putting a battery tender on doesn't help if there is nothing to plug it into. We store our MH in a storage lot at the RV park where we have our park model - no power available.

We threw our switches when we put her in storage and after 4 months, went over and ran the generator and charged up the batteries - not a problem for us. Generator started right away - good for the generator. Few days later took it in for service, started right up, etc. Got her back today (had 8 yr old chassis batteries replaced because they were 8 yrs old and it was time), everything running well. Shut her down, threw the cut-off switches (we have two, one for chassis and one for house) and she will rest until we leave the first part of April. Yes, we did check to make sure water level was ok. In fact, while in for service and new batteries the pulled all the cables to clean ends and replaced the big cables on the big starting batteries, so battery bay looks really smart.

Kind of sad to shut her down today - could tell that the 40 mile trip was too short for her, but we still have more spring training games to see, plus two more concerts, before we can hit the road.

Barb